art market minute mar 2
Frieze Los Angeles has concluded with reports of strong sales, with some dealers noting higher transaction volumes than at Art Basel Miami Beach. This surge in activity was accompanied by a record number of satellite events, signaling a growing interest in alternative fair models and a localized boost for the Southern California art scene.
Artist Alex Heilbron presents a solo exhibition at the Los Angeles gallery as-is. The show is featured as a lead review in the February 2026 issue of Contemporary Art Review LA, highlighting Heilbron's continued exploration of painting and visual language within the Southern California art scene.
Los Angeles is preparing for a robust spring arts season with a diverse lineup of exhibitions across the city's major institutions. Highlights include the long-awaited opening of the David Geffen Galleries at LACMA, a retrospective of the band Sublime at the Grammy Museum, and Yoko Ono’s first solo exhibition in Los Angeles. The season also features multidisciplinary showcases such as Guillermo Bert’s tech-integrated textiles at the Museum of Latin American Art and a sensory-focused group show at the Hammer Museum.
Michael H. Smith, an artist, dealer, and curator who played a pivotal role in developing Southern California's art scene in the 1970s and '80s, died on October 31 in Santa Barbara at age 80. Smith opened his eponymous gallery in Los Angeles in 1971, later became a partner at the Jack Glenn Gallery, and served as director of the Baxter Art Gallery at Caltech from 1977 to 1982, where he staged exhibitions for artists including Hans Haacke, Richard Tuttle, and Berenice Abbott. He also founded a consultancy for artists, taught at UC Irvine, and worked as a conceptual photographer whose works were exhibited by dealer Craig Krull.
Various Small Fires (VSF) founder Esther Kim Varet opened a new gallery space, VSF OC, in Tustin, Orange County, in April 2025. The inaugural exhibition, “The Orange Curtain,” features Southern California contemporary artists Edwin Arzeta, Jackie Castillo, and Marcel Alcalá, all born and raised in Orange County. Curated by Varet, the show explores the cultural and political divide between Orange County and Los Angeles, and runs through May 31. The opening drew local art leaders, collectors, and families, including Heidi Zuckerman, CEO of the Orange County Museum of Art.
American Legacy Fine Arts, a private gallery in Pasadena, has opened a new exhibition titled 'Mastering the Mood: Atmospheric Emotion.' The show, running from April 24 to June 6, features 14 nationally recognized painters, including Peter Adams, Warren Chang, and Jean LeGassick, whose works use light, color, and atmosphere to transform landscapes and still lifes into immersive emotional experiences.